


Tailwind

by spaceyfish



Series: Pokeani Oneshots [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pokemon - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:55:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21854086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceyfish/pseuds/spaceyfish
Summary: Satoshi's first days in Galar. He misses his family but takes a while to realize it.
Series: Pokeani Oneshots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1679776
Comments: 12
Kudos: 132





	Tailwind

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't AA:T whoops. That's about 2/3rds done. I wrote this on a whim on my way home. I love the new anime, still miss S/M, love Gou, miss his Alolan family.

The flight was happy and surprisingly boisterous as many of the passengers recognized the new Alolan champion. No one bothered him, they had manners after all, but they could only smile at the display of childish joy as he waved goodbye to his friends.

An hour into the flight the travellers had quieted, many falling asleep . Satoshi scrolled aimlessly on his phone until Pikachu gently tapped his cheek.

"Hm? What's up, Pikachu?"

Pikachu chittered a little, worriedly showing him a slightly wet paw.

"W-" Satoshi quickly wiped his face, embarrassed even though only Pikachu had seen him. He had just been talking in their group chat sharing silly pictures.

He was shocked, he hadn't cried since Unova. Pikachu Nuzzled his way into his trainers belly, an almost futile act of comfort. Satoshi buried a hand in his partners soft fur and shoved his other hand almost into his mouth as he tried to regain control. He didn't even know why he was crying. His friends were right there, he was talking to them like normal and he was  _ excited  _ he was going on a new adventure. He'd get to come back and tell them all about it and they'd have a big sleepover at the professors' house.

In the end, he fell into a restless sleep all the way back to Kanto.

Professor Oak was kind enough to pick him up from the airport when he received a phonecall. The teen fumbled his phone in his excitement, accidentally picking up on speaker phone. 

"Satoshiiiii! You finally picked up!"

Exasperated, he replied, "Rotom, I've only been gone for a few hours…"

"And you missed so much! I'm going to send you videos!" His stomach twisted at the idea and he felt confused.

"I promise to watch them later. Professor Oak is taking me home so I'll call you later ok?"

A mechanical sounding gasp was heard and Satoshi quickly hung up the call, not quite in the mood to sit through Rotom fanboying about his adopted uncle.

"Well, that was quite rude, wasn't it Ash?"

Satoshi played innocent, "I have no clue what you mean, Professor."

Pikachu laughed from his spot in the back seat.

Apparently they were going to a scientific dialogue? Mon and Professor Oak shared a look when he asked why he was being forced to go to something so  _ boring _ .

He was perfectly fine staying home for a while as usual before he set out on his next journey. He was still set on the Galar region. He knew absolutely  _ nothing _ about it or its Pokemon and that was unacceptable. He spent a little bit most nights watching movies with Rotom or talking to his friends.

The night before the talk, as he was heading to bed, his mom stopped him. "Sakkun, have you spoken with Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet yet?"

He blinked, they had traded a few messages, he had let them know he was safe, but he didn't update them with every tiny detail. He knew they were busy preparing for the baby and all.

"Yeah I did. As soon as I landed."

His mom's expression was unreadable as she nodded at him.

"Alright. Well. Good. Sleep well baby."

"Moooom please, I'm almost 19."

"You'll always be my baby."

He gunned it to his room.

He couldn't believe he'd just ridden  _ Lugia.  _ And he was pretty sure it was the same baby he'd met all those years ago. It'd gotten so big! Gou was a relatable ball of energy at his side as they hobbled their way through the fields, hopefully towards the lab.

Gou kept looking at him, thinking he wouldn't notice. He didn't notice, but Pikachu did and made wild pointing motions, finally setlling on pointing his tail to Gou, then to Satoshi.

"Um…" Gou quickly lost his nerve. 

"Hm? What's up, tired?"

"Oh! Um...it's just..w-which name do you prefer?"

Talk about a non-sequitor, Gou always had been lacking in the talking department but a part of him wanted to talk to Satoshi for no reason at all. Which was weird. He always had a reason for doing things. He decided not to think too hard.

"Ah, you must've heard Professor Oak calling me 'Ash' and then I introduced myself as Satoshi," he rubbed a hand against the back of his neck, "Well….doesn't matter I guess. Mom and I tried out 'Unovian' names for a bit, cause people find it easier but...well. I kinda said fuck it and went back to my Kantonian name y'know?"

Ah. Gou understood. He agreed, having an outside, or a school, or an at home family name was silly. People could learn the name you wanted to be called or shove off.

"But you can call me whichever, I don't mind."

_ Oh. _

Gou could tell Satoshi really  _ didn't  _ care.

"Then Satoshi."

He blinked, a bit surprised. He was used to people using his more common name when given the choice. Gou's pronounciation was perfect too, and Satoshi felt uncommonly flustered.

_ Weird. It's not like other people don't call me by my name… _

He thought of the first time he and Kiawe really connected and he found it wasn't the same, this was different and of course he wanted to be Gou's friend in the first hour of meeting him. Of course.

Well, Lugia  _ had  _ just basically told them they should be friends.

"Sure. Gou is..okay with you?"

"Yup."

"Cool."

"Awesome."

"Great."

  
  


He'd forgotten his phone at home. He was so  _ stupid _ .

When he was handed a new one the very same day, he was relieved. He opened the phone to a rush of messages. Burnet asked how he was doing and he snapped a photo of himself and Pikachu with the lab behind him.

**B: !!!!!!!!!**

**PM: ?**

**B: You made a new friend already!! He's so cute!**

Satoshi reexamined the photo and saw that Gou had wormed his way into a corner of the photo, tossing up a peace sign. He looked embarrassed for himself. Satoshi snorted out a laugh and wished Burnet a good night.

  
  
  


Even Satoshi could tell Gou was a distant person. At least normally. His friend with the Yamper had looked surprised to see them chatting as they walked down to the kitchen, giving them almost aggressive scrutiny as she left for school.

But he found he couldn't really focus on anything that day. Sure it was really interesting, this seemingly random thing bulbasaur were doing, but all he could imagine was Lycanrock sniffing curiously at their trail. He wished he could feel the comforting weight of Rowlett in his bag. Rotom's endless chatter would put him at ease instead of this endless fucking anxiety that he thought he'd left back in Kalos. Before he knew it he'd snapped at Gou in a way he hadn't done in years. 

As soon as he'd done it, the sharp hurt in Gou's eyes, like he expected to be treated like that, made him burn with guilt. He knew an apology wouldn't be welcome so he tried to make up for it with his actions. 

"Is it okay?"

He wasn't talking about the boost Gou was giving him. The dark haired boy nodded neutrally.

_ He's still mad...I'll really really really apologize when we get home… _

Then suddenly Team Rocket was there. They looked scared. Satoshi didn't like that. They were trying their hardest with a bad situation and Alola had shown him what they could be. Their connection to their Pokemon. He was scared Mimikyu or Hidoide would appear from a pokeball. Though they were scared they weren't upset. Just resigned. They had left their family in Alola. Just like him. Seeing their familiar faces made him feel a little less lonely.

He found himself fighting with the same ferocity he had the Professor during the league.

He didn't see Gou at all but the other boy reasoned, with a small bit of fear, that he still wanted to be friends, that he had to try too, and that something else was wrong.

  
  


"What do you mean? Aren't we already friends?"

For Satoshi, making friends was easy. Gou envied that a little.

  
  
  


They were on the train, on their way back from the wild area to get some sleep for the night.

"So...what did you do, before all this? I think I basically dropped out of school so…"

And Satoshi told him about his latest journey.

  
  


"You haven't  _ called  _ him?"

"Uh-"

"Listen. I'm absolute shit at relationships, but I'm pretty sure that professor guy is your dad-"

"I don't have a dad."

"Exactly." Gou looked smug. Satoshi was a little confused.

"I'm eighteen."

Gou frowned, thinking, "Same….but I think if someone showed up, and let me live with them, and treated me like I mattered, I wouldn't care. And if I suddenly up and left because of my burning need for adventure, and if he  _ understood _ that too? I'd probably be lonely."

Gou frowned more, thinking about Satoshi probably leaving him too someday. His first friend and he was destined to lose him. Figured.

"Lonely...oh."

"You idiot you didn't figure out that you were lonely? You were around a group of people for  _ months,  _ hell I don't have anyone around and I-"

Satoshi's face was one big question mark.

"Ugh. Nevermind. Just  _ call him. _ "

  
  


Kukui was cleaning up what had turned into the pokemons' room. Satoshi's Incineroar shed in a way his never had so he'd started lint rolling the whole room every day or two.

Deed done, he wandered downstairs for an early lunch.

Burnet had forwarded him a photo Satoshi had sent her and he wouldn't lie he was very jealous that she was getting pictures from him and he hadn't even gotten a "Hey dad, I'm alive"

Though he was starting to feel that his feelings for the young trainer were one sided. Regardless he would always see Satoshi as a son, no matter how the boy thought of him.

Thinking on it more, he was acting pretty weird when they said goodbye.

He hoped he was okay. He hoped he was eating enough.

His phone rang and he found himself diving for it.

"H-hello? This is Kukui." He hadn't even seen the caller id.

"H-hakase? Sorry, are you busy? I can call later.."

An uncharacteristic burst of Kantonian from Satoshi greeted his ears, "Satoshi! No, no I'm not busy. Wait did you say later? It's plenty late already for you isn't it?"

Satoshi laughed, "Well I didn't want to call you at 3am so…"

"What's wrong?"

"Eh? Nothing, I just...haven't called you since I left and…" the sentence devolved into mumbling and Kukui found he was gripping his phone hard enough to hurt his hand. He relaxed. His boarder was fine.

There was the sound of a familiar Pikachu, a muttered 'stop that, geez..' and rather unfamiliar laughter.

He heard Satoshi take a deep breath before speaking, "I miss you a lot, I...um...yeah. Is that..okay?"

Kukui almost felt like crying.

"I miss you too kiddo, remember what we talked about? I'll always be here for you. We can talk for as long as you like."

Satoshi's voice was small, "Ok...thank you."

"I thought I heard an unfamiliar voice, new friend Sato?"

"Yeah! His names Gou! Professor, you'll  _ never _ guess what happened my first day at the lab!"

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> ...if anyone wants to play swsh together just ask me for my friend code...


End file.
